Programme Manager - SME Onboarding

Key responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end SME client onboarding programme, from initial client acceptance through account opening and activation.
• Develop programme strategy, roadmap, milestones, governance and delivery plans.
• Coordinate multiple workstreams across Private Banking, Operations, Compliance, KYC/AML, Risk, Technology and Relationship Management.
• Identify and remove bottlenecks in the onboarding process and improve client experience.
• Manage KYC, CDD/EDD, client due diligence and regulatory onboarding requirements in partnership with Compliance and Financial Crime teams.
• Establish programme governance, including steering committees, reporting, RAID logs, decision tracking and escalation processes.
• Define and monitor KPIs such as onboarding turnaround time, backlog, client drop-off, operational capacity and first-time-right rates.
• Lead process redesign and automation initiatives to reduce manual activity and improve onboarding efficiency.
• Manage dependencies, risks, issues, budgets and delivery resources.
• Work with technology teams on changes to onboarding platforms, workflow systems and client-data processes.
• Ensure programme outcomes meet regulatory, risk, operational and commercial objectives.
• Provide senior management with clear reporting on progress, risks, benefits and delivery performance.
• Support change management, stakeholder communication and implementation across affected teams.

Typical requirements

Experience

• Programme/project management experience within banking, private banking, wealth management or financial services.
• Strong understanding of SME/business-client onboarding and KYC/AML processes.
• Experience delivering cross-functional transformation or operational change programmes.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders and managing complex governance structures.
• Knowledge of regulatory and financial-crime controls relevant to client onboarding.
• Experience with process improvement, digitisation or automation is highly desirable.

Skills

• Programme governance and delivery
• Stakeholder and senior-management management
• KYC/AML and client onboarding
• Process optimisation
• Risk and issue management
• Business and technology change
• Data and KPI analysis
• Strong communication and influencing skills